career
development manitoba
A Guide to
BUILDING
a Career
Portfolio
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements.............................................................................................................................. 3
Introduction........................................................................................................................................... 4
About This Guide........................................................................................................................... 4
What is a Portfolio?....................................................................................................................... 5
How Will a Portfolio Help Me?...................................................................................................... 5
How Can I Use It?.......................................................................................................................... 5
Types of Portfolios......................................................................................................................... 6
Master Portfolios....................................................................................................................... 6
Targeted Portfolios.................................................................................................................... 7
1. How Do I Prepare a Master Portfolio?............................................................................................ 8
Step 1: Identify Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities........................................................................... 9
Step 2: Gather Evidence................................................................................................................ 9
Step 3: Group Evidence Into Themes.......................................................................................... 14
Step 4: Organize and Assemble.................................................................................................. 15
Developing Occupational Goal Statements................................................................................ 16
Developing a Personal Mission Statement.................................................................................. 18
Putting It All Together................................................................................................................. 19
2. Design Tips...................................................................................................................................... 20
Storing Your Portfolio Contents.................................................................................................. 20
Style Tips for Putting Together Your Portfolio............................................................................. 21
Online Portfolios.......................................................................................................................... 21
3. How Do I Use My Portfolio?.......................................................................................................... 24
Using My Portfolio in Career Planning........................................................................................ 24
Using My Portfolio to Evaluate Job Opportunities..................................................................... 25
Using My Portfolio to Prepare for an Interview........................................................................... 28
4. Portfolio Examples......................................................................................................................... 30
Paper-Based Portfolio Example................................................................................................... 30
Online Portfolio Example............................................................................................................ 41
5. Portfolio Tips................................................................................................................................... 45
Summary.............................................................................................................................................. 46
Appendix A: Portfolio Template........................................................................................................ 47
Appendix B: Guide Links.................................................................................................................... 49
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
Acknowledgements
This resource package was developed through a partnership
involving Manitoba Entrepreneurship, Training and Trade and Life Strategies Ltd.
Project funding was provided by:
Manitoba Children and Youth Opportunities
Manitoba Entrepreneurship, Training and Trade
Manitoba Immigration and Multiculturalism
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
Introduction
About This Guide
A portfolio is a collection of items that shows a person’s work. It contains evidence of your knowledge,
skills and abilities in the form of real documentation.
This guide was developed to help you effectively put your portfolio together. It will walk you through
the process of collecting, selecting and organizing the content of your portfolio. This guide will also
show you how to use your portfolio for career planning and your job search, whether you are just
beginning your career or changing careers.
If you are having difficulty with any part of the guide, another helpful resource is your local
Employment Manitoba Centre. To find one near you call: 1-866-332-5077 or go to
www.gov.mb.ca/employment/emp_centre_locations.html.
Sign up to create your own on-line ePortfolio by calling Workplace Education Manitoba’s WEST
Center’s message line at 272-4591 and an appointment will be made with you to discuss the process.
EPortfolios are learner-owned websites which demonstrate what the learner knows and can do, using
web and multimedia technologies.
Do you want to see an example ePortfolio? Check out our main page www.careerportfolio.mb.ca.
Once there, click on “Take a look at what you can do in this example ePortfolio” to view a sample.
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
Several symbols are used in this guide to help highlight key points, suggestions, cautions, tips and
examples.
indicates an example
Example
outlines items to remember
Remember
introduces an activity to complete
Activity
indicates things to avoid
Avoid
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
What is a Portfolio?
A portfolio is a collection of items that show what you’ve learned, what you know and what you can do.
It takes time and effort to develop a portfolio, but it is simple to maintain over the years. The process
of developing and updating your portfolio will help you to reflect on what you have accomplished and
what you would like to do in the future.
How Will a Portfolio Help Me?
A portfolio can help you to:
• assess your knowledge and skills
• prepare for interviews
• review and evaluate past experiences and learning
• present your knowledge and skills
• highlight your transferrable skills
• increase your personal confidence
• be more competitive in today’s labour market
• illustrate how your qualifications have progressed
• set career and education goals
• keep an ongoing record of skills and achievements
• identify areas that require further study
• create a system for documenting your accomplishments and results
How Can I Use It?
A portfolio can be used in various situations. Once you’ve built your portfolio, you can customize it for
different purposes or audiences by adding or removing items.
You can use a portfolio when you want to:
• identify skills and knowledge
o show examples of learning
o develop and track learning outcomes
o record self-assessment results
o collect course work samples
o help ease transitions from school to work
• identify new options and choices
o take stock of your knowledge and skills and identify other opportunities
• recognize a need or desire for further learning
o advance within your organization
o conduct a personal assessment (ex: identify gaps in training)
• plan a career and learn about yourself
o identify skills
o explore career options
o make decisions
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
• search for a job
o market and promote yourself to employers
o develop a targeted resume
o prepare for an interview
o support knowledge, skills, abilities, accomplishments and personal characteristics referred to
in your cover letter and resume
• gain credit in post-secondary institutions
o challenge courses in academic or skills training programs
o get credit toward a high school diploma
o earn credits for occupational or professional licensing and certification
Types of Portfolios
There are two types of portfolios, master and targeted. It may be easier and take less time, to create a
targeted portfolio; however, a master portfolio will allow you to create targeted portfolios quickly.
Master Portfolios
Your master portfolio will contain all of the information that you have learned and details what you can
do. A master portfolio will make it easier to customize your portfolio for specific purposes such as:
• analyzing and reflecting on accomplishments, training and experiences
• highlighting specific skills, accomplishments or experiences
• supporting evidence to show an employer during a job interview
In a master portfolio, include any content that will help demonstrate
your knowledge, skills, accomplishments, or attitudes. There are several
purposes for a master portfolio including to:
• keep track of life and academic experiences
• assist in creating your resume and cover letter
• assist in preparing for an interview
• reduce the time it takes to retrieve items for a targeted portfolio2
Keep your original documents (ex: certificates, course outlines, job descriptions) in a master portfolio.
Also, copy key items to ensure you’re ready to create a targeted portfolio. Keep one copy of each
document in a safe location, separate from your master portfolio, in case your master portfolio gets
lost or destroyed.
Organize the contents of your master portfolio into themes (ex: job descriptions, course outlines) so
that you can easily find the items you need.
1
2
http://i.ehow.com/images/GlobalPhoto/Articles/4896372/158242-main_Full.jpg
http://coopcommunity.sfu.ca/index.php?module=ContentExpress&func=display&ceid=153&meid=163
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
The Master Portfolio Template (Appendix A) will help identify
the type of content to include in your portfolio.
Activity
Targeted Portfolios
A targeted portfolio will follow the same format as a master portfolio but it is tailored for a specific
purpose. You could use it to:
• demonstrate skills to apply for a promotion
• show an employer during a job interview
• show prior learning
Begin by gathering relevant information (ex: a job description). Write down required skills, education,
experience, knowledge and other qualities that you require for the job. Using this list as a guide,
review your master portfolio. Select items that prove your qualifications and place them into a folder
or binder to take to your interview or meeting.
During the interview, use your targeted portfolio to demonstrate how your knowledge, skills and
abilities match the position.
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
1
How Do I Prepare a Master Portfolio?
Building a portfolio is a process. Although the process will take time, you will learn the process is just
as important as the end product. Because your experiences, learning and goals are unique, your
portfolio will be unique.
There are a number of steps to completing a portfolio:
1) identify knowledge, skills, and abilities:
• What do I know?
• What can I do?
• How have I demonstrated the skills and knowledge?
2) gather evidence
3) group evidence into themes
4) organize and assemble evidence
Building your Portfolio – One Step at a Time
LIFE EXPERIENCES
Work, personal skills, abilities,
activities, hobbies, events, education,
accomplishments, family,
languages, etc.
IDENTIFY KNOWLEDGE,
SKILLS, & ABILITIES
STEP 1
GATHER EVIDENCE
STEP 2
GROUP EVIDENCE
INTO THEMES
STEP 3
ORGANIZE & ASSEMBLE
PORTFOLIO
Introduction, resumes,
Cover letter, essential
skills, KSA, writing
outcomes, goals,
functional list,
accomplishments, etc.
Reference: Teresita Chiarella, March 26, 2010
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
STEP 4
Portfolio
STEP 1
Identify Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
You’ve gained many skills throughout your life. You may have developed them though work
experiences, courses, internships, volunteering or general life experience.
Some skills are closely related to one occupation (ex: operating a specific machine). Other skills can be
used in many occupations; these are known as transferable skills.
Use the Show What You Know Guide to help you to identify
your knowledge, skills and abilities.
Activity
STEP 2
Gather Evidence
As you begin gathering evidence, collect everything that might be relevant. When you assemble your
portfolio, you can choose the best items to show skills you want to highlight. As you look at each
object or item, it may be helpful to ask yourself these questions:
•
•
•
•
“Does this item have a positive impact?”
“What does this object show about my skills?”
“What does this item show that I have learned?”
“How can I present this object as a part of my portfolio?”
Remember to collect evidence of your skills and experience from all of your activities, education,
training, employment, projects, community service, hobbies and accomplishments.
Choose portfolio items that make you look good. Review each item you are considering to ensure it is:
• free of errors (ex: spelling mistakes)
• reliable and authentic
• current
• formatted appropriately
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
Ensure your master portfolio is kept up to date by continuing to
collect items.
Remember
Your portfolio might include:
• letters of reference
• thank-you letters
• transcripts
• degrees and certificates
• awards
• created document
• examples of technology skills
• photographs
Ensure you are sharing documents that do not contain confidential information from past employers
or volunteer organizations you have worked for. If you are unsure, get permission from that employer.
Use the Content Checklist to mark off items as you include
them in your portfolio.3 4 5 Use the “other category” at the end
to list extra items to include.
Activity
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
Category: About You
cover lettero
biographyo
reference letterso
thank you cardso
self-assessment resultso
hobbieso
interestso
travel experienceso
languageso
personal mission statemento
Category: School
transcripts or report cardo
papers
assignmentso
exam markso
powerpoint presentationso
photographs of projectso
computer skillso
work experience/practicumo
languageso
awards or scholarshipso
degrees, diplomas, or certificateso
training courseso
learning exchangeso
program or school brochureso
teacher evaluationso
list of schools attendedo
workshop brochures or handoutso
publications and researcho

Category: Teamwork and Leadership
involvement in sportso
o
involvement in associationso
certificates for teamwork or leadership
o
involvement in clubs (ex: drama club)
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
o
newspaper articleso
communication skillso
anything that demonstrates ability to work with others
o
leadership position descriptionso
reference letters for teambuilding or leadership skills
Category: Employment
job descriptionso
o
performance evaluationso
reference letterso
reference listo
recognition awards (ex: employee of the month)
o
employment goalso
thank you letters or cardso
certificates and licenseso
problem solving exampleso
information on promotionso
customer satisfaction reportso
computer and technical abilitieso
publications and researcho
skills, knowledge, abilities, accomplishments from employment
Category: Community
descriptions of volunteer worko
o
reference letters (ex: from a volunteer supervisor)
o
newspaper articleso
thank you letters or cardso
public speaking informationo
certificates of participation or achievement
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
Category: Other
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
STEP 3
Group Evidence Into Themes
Themes can be organized in different ways:
• targeted skills (ex: communication skills)
• types of experience (ex: customer service)
• essential skills (ex: working with others)
Example
Here are some examples of themes:
•
personal/about you/personal characteristics
•
school/education/training
teamwork/Leadership
•
•
employment
community
•
•
skills/experience/knowledge
•
resume and cover letter
•
accomplishments
•
creative materials
•
technical skills6
After you gather the contents for your portfolio, use the space
provided to list themes that could be used as portfolio tabs.
Activity
Use folders, binders, boxes, or other organizing tools to group your items into themes.
6
http://coop.mgmt.umanitoba.ca/Documents/4952/CareerPortfolioGuide.pdf
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
STEP 4
Organize and Assemble
Now that you’ve gathered everything to put into your portfolio, it’s time to organize it and put it all
together.
Example
Frank Peters:
Frank Peters, a 46 year old man living in Thompson, Manitoba,
is putting together his portfolio. He has two young children and
worked as a heavy equipment mechanic at ABC Equipment Inc. for
22 years. Frank didn’t graduate from high school but did get his
General Educational Development (grade 12 GED) 10 years ago.
Six months ago, a workplace accident left Frank unable to continue
his job at ABC Equipment. Frank’s putting together a portfolio to
help him reflect on his skills and accomplishments. He’ll also use this
as a tool when he goes to job interviews.
Frank has already gathered items to include in his portfolio and, based on those items, he’s identified
several skill themes. To help organize his content, Frank wrote his themes on a piece of paper. Just as
Frank has, on a piece of paper in big letters, write out your themes.
Next, Frank cut out his themes and placed them around a large table. Cut out the themes
you wrote on your list and spread them out on a table or the floor. Leave lots of space to
sort the contents of your portfolio.
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
Next, sort the contents of your portfolio into the most relevant themes (ex: a picture of a
schedule you created could be placed in the section for organizational skills, a newspaper
clipping of your participation at a fundraising event could demonstrate “working with
others”). You may want to sort by relevant skills or experience categories.
Once your content is sorted, begin to create a Table of Contents. Decide which theme you
want to place first in your portfolio. If you are using a binder with tabs, write your theme on
a tab and then list all the content under that tab.
Developing Occupational Goal Statements
A portfolio is also a great place to keep your Occupational goal statements. These are
statements that describe your long-term or short-term goals. They are similar to job
objectives but provide more detail and are not aimed at a specific employer. Occupational
goal statements can help keep you on track.
Frank Peters:
After Frank sorted all of the items for his portfolio, he developed a
goal statement to include. Here’s Frank’s goal statement:
My short-term goal is to get work in a mining operation as a human
resources trainer. This will allow me to use my communication skills
and technical knowledge. I would like to expand my training role to
include developing and implementing quality assurance standards
and processes.
Example
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
In the space provided, write out your goal statements.
Activity
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
Developing a Personal Mission Statement
You may choose to include a personal mission statement in your portfolio. This statement
should reflect who you are and let the reader know your goals in work and life. Your personal
mission statement should help you stay focused on the things most important to you.
Frank Peters:
I strive to approach tasks with focus, determination and the highest
standard of excellence. When working with others, I apply the spirit
of co-operation and teamwork skills that I learned when I worked as
a founding member of Toastmasters and as a soccer coach.
Example
In the space provided, write out your mission statements. Use
action verbs when writing your statement.
Activity
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
Putting It All Together
Once you’ve sorted all of your items, it’s time to assemble your portfolio. To help you get
started, here’s a sample Table of Contents:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Title page (Introduces you to the reader)
Table of contents (directs the reader to the appropriate sections)
Introduction (summarizes the goal of your portfolio)
Occupational (job) goal
Personal mission statement ( describes the person you are, personal characteristics and
work ethic)
Resume (describes paid and unpaid work history, skills and abilities)
My Skills Profile (working with others, organizational skills, critical thinking)
Letters of recommendation (Letters from employer, volunteer organization)
Documentation (provides evidence of knowledge, skill and experiences)
o Professional development (Certificates, transcripts, class assignments)
o Community/Volunteer participation (newspaper clippings, samples of work)
o Evidence Sample work (presentation outline, charts, graphs, writing samples)
In the previous section you listed some themes you could use as
portfolio tabs. Use your list to develop your Table of Contents.
Activity
The next section of this guide contains design tips to help you format your portfolio.
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
2
Design Tips
Storing Your Portfolio Contents
How to store your portfolio contents is a personal preference. The goal is to keep it organized. Some
options include:
• a binder
• a portfolio case
• an accordion file
• a website
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
Style Tips for Putting Together Your Portfolio
After your contents are organized and your Table of Contents created, begin to put your portfolio
together.
Using clear plastic covers is a good idea to protect your documents. If
using a binder to store materials, with clear plastic covers you can avoid
hole punching items.
Create tabs based on the themes you developed when organizing your
content. Be as creative as you want in creating tabs; however, most
portfolio cases come with designated spaces to insert tabs. If using a
binder as a portfolio case, page dividers work well as tabs.
Online Portfolios
Creating an online or “web-based” portfolio is becoming a popular portfolio option. Online portfolios
save paper and are environmentally friendly (“green”). An online portfolio:
• Is easy and quick to update (for individuals familiar with computer technology)
• Can support multi-media formats (ex: photographs, videos, documents, links)
• Can be less expensive than paying for portfolio cases, paper, printing and photocopying
Organizing the contents of your online portfolio is similar to organizing a paper-based portfolio. To
begin, use the Content Checklist to create a list of items to include. Next, gather relevant items. For
items already saved on your computer (ex: photos, Word documents, videos, thank you emails), create
a new folder and copy and paste each item into that folder. For paper-based items, such as newspaper
articles or thank you cards, scan items into your computer and save them into your portfolio folder.
Once all your items are uploaded to your computer, create themes (see the sub-section on How Do I
Prepare a Portfolio? for more information).
When your portfolio items are uploaded and themed, you are ready to develop your online portfolio.
Some websites that you can use to create an online portfolio include:
• Manitoba Careers:
www.manitobacareers.net/featured-services/premier-resume-portfolio.htm (Free of charge)
• Career Cruising: www.careercruising.com/Public/tours/portfolio/portfolio_tour_p1.html
• Career Portfolio Manitoba: www.careerportfolio.mb.ca
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You can obtain a user name and password to access the Career Cruising website by contacting one of
the following agencies listed in the links below:
Middle Years Schools and High Schools - Students please contact your school guidance counsellor
MB4Youth - Youth ages 16 to 29
Adult Learning Centres (ALCs) and Adult Literacy Programs (ALPs)
Manitoba Employment Centres for all Manitoba residents
For those attending a college, university or other post-secondary institutions user ID and passwords
can be obtained from your local school counseling office.
Remember to get permission from others before uploading any
personal information online (ex: reference contact information).
Remember
To begin creating your online portfolio, create tabs for each of the
themes you identified.
Example
Darel McDonald:
Darel McDonald, recently laid off from his job as a General
Labourer, created an online portfolio. He wanted to show his
technology skills and also save money on printing. Since leaving
high school in grade 10, Darel has worked as a General Labourer
for various employers. He is looking for work again as a General
Labourer and will use some of his portfolio items (ex: cover letter,
resume, references, and relevant educational documents) when he
goes to interviews. The following diagram is an example of the tabs
Darel has used.
Please note that some free portfolio websites may already be set
up with tabs and creating your own tabs may not be an option. In
such a case, re-organize the content of your portfolio to fit with the
existing tabs.
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
Instructions for editing information, uploading documents, and formatting will differ depending on
which online space you use for your portfolio. Check to see if the system you chose has a user guide
to help with the technical aspects of creating your online portfolio.
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
3
How Do I Use My Portfolio?
Once you have created your portfolio, think about how to use it effectively. Some of the most
common uses for career portfolios are:
• career planning
• evaluating job opportunities
• interviews
Each time you use your portfolio, think about the person you will be sharing it with. If possible, try to
find out what that individual considers most important and target your portfolio to highlight those
characteristics or qualifications.
Using My Portfolio in Career Planning
Your portfolio is a great tool for career planning. It’s a good place to store information allowing you to
take stock of your skills and determine how they can be transferred to different positions or how you
can build on them to reach your goals. Identify the skills you liked using the most. See if you can start
a career plan that utilizes these skills. When you love what you do it doesn’t seem like work.
Frank Peters:
You met Frank in an earlier activity. He’s 46 and is now looking to
make a career change due to a workplace accident. He wants to
find a new job and created a portfolio as part of his career planning.
Because he’s looking for work that’s different from what he did
before, he’ll use his portfolio to show evidence of a variety of skills.
Example
7
http://thinkexist.com/quotation/your_attitude-not_your_aptitude-will_determine/165031.html
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
Using My Portfolio to Evaluate Job Opportunities
Your portfolio is a useful tool to help you evaluate whether or not to apply for certain jobs. Some
sources of job information that you could consider are:
• job advertisements
• job descriptions
• informational interview notes
• labour market information (ex: http://mb.jobfutures.org/)
Once you review the job requirements, you can look through your portfolio to see where your skills,
abilities, and experiences match. Doing this matching will also help you to see if there are any gaps
between what the job requires and what you have to offer. If you have a skills or experience gap,
consider how you could fill it:
• courses, workshops, training programs
• job shadowing
• volunteering
• interning
After you’ve compared your portfolio items to the job requirements, and identified the specific items
that you can use in a targeted portfolio, you may find that you need to collect more items as evidence
of your fit with the job.
Jennifer Meyer:
Jennifer is a recent college grad with limited work experience. She
found a job ad for a Junior Assistant Network Administrator. This
job is a good fit with her education. She wants to apply for the job
and is going to use her portfolio to help her see if she has all of the
skills that the employer is asking for.
Example
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
Charge University
Charge University is a leader in post-secondary education and rated as
one of the Top 100 companies to work for in Manitoba.
We are looking for an outstanding candidate to fill our Junior
Assistant Network Administrator position.
Candidates must have a diploma in computer science or equivalent education
and experience, be able to work in a team environment, and be skilled
with Windows Server (20XX), exceptional communication skills, provide technical support
to clients and Exchange mail servers.
Qualified candidates should submit their resumes to:
hr@email.ca or
Ms. Keisha West
Human Resources Manager, Charge University
270 18th Street
Brandon, Manitoba, R7A 6A9
Job Characteristics
Portfolio Evidence
(3 or X)
Diploma in computer science
or equivalent education and
experience
3
Able to work in a team
environment
3
Skilled with Windows Server
(2003) and Exchange
mail servers
3
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
Items to Include in Targeted
Portfolio
• Diploma, Computer Systems
Technology, Assiniboine
Community College, 20XX
• Transcript of courses and
grades
• Performance review from
two-month work practicum
• Performance reviews from
service industry jobs
• Job description from work
practicum
• Relevant course descriptions
from college program
Use the following chart to compare a job ad or job opportunity
to the contents of your portfolio.
Activity
Job Characteristics
Portfolio Evidence
(√ or X)
Items to Include in Targeted
Portfolio
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
Using My Portfolio to Prepare for an Interview
Reviewing your portfolio before an interview is a great way to refresh your memory about your skills,
abilities, accomplishments, knowledge and qualifications. It’s not a good idea to bring your entire
portfolio to an interview. Employers are more interested in what you have to say than reading through
a portfolio. Instead of presenting your entire portfolio at an interview, choose a few relevant items to
support your interview responses.
Gabriela Tomagan:
Gabriela Tomagan (46) moved to Winnipeg from the Philippines a year
ago. In the Philippines, Gabriela worked for a pharmaceutical company
as a lead researcher.
Gabriela is interested in finding work similar to what she did in the
Philippines and is preparing for an interview as a research assistant at a
local university.
Example
As Gabriela reviewed her portfolio, she identified important elements
to speak about during her interview. These included her:
• education and PhD in Chemistry
• experience working at a pharmaceutical company in the Philippines
• skills and knowledge in research and science
• ability to work as part of a team and to supervise and manage a team
To highlight these qualifications, Gabriela selected the following items
from her portfolio to bring to the interview:
• her Philippines Pharmaceutical Research Leader award
• a published article which summarizes her research
• a company brochure from her previous job to demonstrate how it
was similar to the one she will be interviewing for
She brought the items in a file folder to keep them neat, organized and
easily accessible.
Use portfolio items to strengthen your answers in an interview.
Be prepared to respond to questions without the aid of
supporting documents.8
Remember
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
Use the following checklist when preparing to use items from
your portfolio in an interview. Check off each relevant step on
the list.9
Activity
You’ve prepared by…
organizing the items you plan to bring o
making extra photocopies of documentso
ensuring you are only bringing relevant items
o
o
incorporating the items into interview responses
o
using your portfolio to reflect on your transferable skills (ex: communication)
o
speaking highly of your achievements, skills, and accomplishments
o
practicing speaking clearly and making eye contact
o
ensuring the Internet will be available if using an online portfolio o
practicing holding your items so everyone will be able to see
“Success always comes when preparation meets opportunity.”
~Henry Hartman
www.colby-sawyer.edu/campus-life/career/search_prep/portfolios.html#collecting
www.careerprep.ab.ca/PDF/PresentingYourCareerPortfolio2009.pdf
3
http://thinkexist.com/quotation/success_always_comes_when_preparation_meets/173912.html
1
2
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
4
Portfolio Examples
Paper-Based Portfolio Example
Frank Peters:
Frank Peters has already gone through the process of recognizing
his skills, accomplishments, knowledge and attitudes; has identified
and collected items to include in his portfolio; has themed the items
he is going to include; and has started to organize his portfolio. The
following section includes two items to support each theme Frank
will include in his portfolio. Frank has included a written description
for each item that is not self-explanatory.
Example
For more portfolio examples visit:
• http://www.usq.edu.au/users/evansp/browse/Mahara/
documents/exemplars.htm#id3
• http://careerportfolio.mb.ca/user/view.php?id=8
• http://careerportfolio.mb.ca/user/view.php?id=4
Title Page
Frank Peters’ Portfolio
Contents:
Letter of Introduction
Occupational Goals
Personal Mission Statement
Resume
Organizational Skills
• Schedule
Critical Thinking
• Certificate
• Training Brochure
Working With Others
• Coaching Experience
• Founding Member of Toastmasters
• Volunteer Experience
Taking Initiative
• Email from Supervisor
Computer Skills
• Typing Test Results
9
www.quotationspage.com/quote/34212.html
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
Letter of Introduction
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
Occupational Goals
My short-term goal is to get work in a mining operation as a human resources trainer. This will allow
me to use my communication skills and technical knowledge. I would like to expand my training role
to include developing and implementing quality assurance standards and processes.
Personal Mission Statement
I strive to approach tasks with focus, determination and the highest standard of excellence. When
working with others, I apply the spirit of cooperation and teamwork skills that I learned when I worked
as a founding member of Toastmasters and as a soccer coach.
Resume
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Organizational Skills
Personal
I am a very organized individual. I have organized many speaking nights for toastmasters and
created the schedules. Keeping an organized schedule helps me to be both dependable and
reliable.
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Memorandum
DATE: October 11, 20XX
FROM:
President Toastmasters Club
TO: Frank Peters
PHONE:123-4567
FAX:678-9123
SUBJECT: Assistance Setting up Speech Nights
On behalf of the toastmasters club, I would like to thank you for your dedication and continued
support in setting up speech night. Your organization of the night exceeded expectations and we
appreciated the careful planning that you put into it.
I would also like to thank you for taking the initiative to set up the critic sessions. Members have found
the added feedback valuable as they prepare for future presentations. We know the organization of
the critic sessions significantly added to your workload and this additional effort you have made is
greatly appreciated.
The club truly values your strong commitment and ability to run smooth speech nights and critic
sessions.
Thank you,
Toastmasters President
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Critical Thinking
A
dditional training and certification is something I’ve always been eager to attain as I believe it is
important to keep my skills and ability to think critically up to date. In 2009, I earned my Standard
Level First Aid certificate from St. John Ambulance. I’ve included a copy of my certificate as well as
a brochure with information on the training. In the brochure I have circled the electives I completed.
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
Standard Level First Aid
Designed to meet industry, business and government requirements, Standard level first aid is a
modular course for those who require comprehensive first aid training.
The Standard level first aid course is built on the same core lessons as the Emergency level course. The
course includes core and elective lessons as well as a written exam.
The elective lessons may be customized on private courses based on your needs. For example,
companies may ask for specific lessons based in industry specific risk. Electives in a course, intended
for the general public, are based on local or provincial safety regulations.
Lessons that make up the Standard and Emergency level courses are outlined below.
Both the Standard First Aid and emergency First Aid courses include five core lessons (four hours).
1. Emergency Scene Management
2. Shock, Unconsciousness and Fainting
3. Choking (Adult)
4. Cardiovascular Emergencies and One-Rescuer CPR (Adult casualty)
5. Sever Bleeding
There are 18 elective lessons. The Emergency course includes approximately 1.5 hours* of electives,
while the Standard course includes about 7.5 hours.*
6. Medical Conditions (Diabetes, Convulsions, Asthma, Allergies)
7. Child Resuscitation
8. Infant Resuscitation
9. Two-Rescuer CPR
10. Automated External Defibrillation
11. Secondary Survey
12. Bone and Joint Injuries
13. Head/Spinal and Pelvic Injuries
14. Chest Injuries
15. Wound Care
16. Multiple Casualty Management
17. Rescue Carries
18. Eye Injuries
19. Burns
20. Poisons, Bites and Stings
21. Heat and Cold Illness and Injuries
22. Emergency Childbirth and Miscarriage
23. Artificial Respiration
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
Working With Others
Over the past five years I’ve managed the Thompson Boys
Summer Soccer Camp. In 20XX, I successfully coached a young
team to win first place in the camp soccer finals. This trophy
represents my leadership abilities and strengths in working with
teams.
Being a founding member of the Toastmasters club demonstrates my ability to work in a team
and take on leadership roles. As a founding member, I was elected to promote the club and gain
memberships. In our first year, we had more than enough registrants to keep the club active for the
next several years. The founding team was instrumental in organizing meetings, establishing protocol
and successfully managing new members.
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
I volunteer my time as a soccer coach. In addition to spending
early weekend mornings on the soccer field, I often hold practices
in the evenings on weekdays. I manage this particular team on
my own and am responsible for organizing carpools to and from
the games and keeping parents up to date with the schedule. I
also train, communicate and provide support for the team to help
each player improve on his game.
Over the past five years I’ve co-ordinated several fundraising events for the Canadian Cancer Society.
As a volunteer, I have helped raise awareness and collect donations. I also assisted with organizing
comedians for a comedy fundraiser night, organized raffle prizes and sold tickets for the event.
12
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This email was sent to me from my employer at ABC Equipment in appreciation for going above
and beyond in my job as a general labourer. On the particular day referred to in the email I noticed
my employer was exceptionally busy and the new employees were standing around waiting for
their orientation. Having seen my employer conduct orientations in the past, and having a few spare
minutes while I waited for something, I took the initiative to show the new employees the work yard
and introduce them to other ABC employees.
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
Computer Skills
Although I’ve spent most of my career working as a general labourer I’ve also dedicated myself to
being effective with a computer. In my other roles such as coach, father and club member, I often use
a computer to type letters, create schedules and organize tasks. In addition to having a fast typing
speed I can effectively use several products such as Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and can use the
Internet for various tasks such as researching and networking.
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
Online Portfolio Example
The following pictures are examples from Darel McDonald’s online portfolio. In each picture,
important elements have been highlighted. To view the rest of Darel’s online portfolio visit
http://dmcdonald.carbonmade.com/
Keep colour, font, and
formatting consistent.
Providing a photograph
is optional. If you do use
a photograph, ensure it’s
professional.
Include detailed contact
information. Actual street
address is optional.
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Get permission to
include others’ personal
information online.
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Take advantage of online
functions such as creating
pages unique to relevant
training.
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
Take advantage of other online
functions such as uploading pictures.
Give your online portfolio a
unique edge by including a
quote on each page.
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
5
Portfolio Tips
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Remember
10
use photocopies of items (ex: certificates)
categorize and keep information organized
include testimonials from credible sources
use a table of contents
keep font consistent
tailor your portfolio for each use
include photographs of projects
ask instructors to provide written verification for your projects
(ex: have them sign a project you have completed and make
a statement about the quality)
• ask others for ideas
• use favourable, up to date references
• use good quality paper
Adapted from Kurt Lewin
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
Summary
This guide has provided tips, examples and activities to help you build a career portfolio. Here are
some key points for you to remember.
• It takes time and effort to develop a portfolio, but it’s simple to maintain.
• O
nce you’ve built your portfolio, you can customize it for different purposes or audiences by adding
or removing things.
• Having a master portfolio will make it easier to customize your portfolio for specific purposes.
• Building a portfolio is a process and the process will take time.
• W
hen gathering evidence it is best to collect everything you think might be relevant. Then, when
putting your portfolio together, you can choose the best items to demonstrate the knowledge and
skills you want to highlight.
• Deciding how to store your portfolio content is a personal preference.
• It’s a good idea to make photocopies of any original documents.
• Creating a web-based portfolio is becoming a popular portfolio option.
• R
eviewing your portfolio before an interview is a great way to refresh your memory about your
knowledge, skills, abilities, accomplishments and qualifications.
This is one of several guides in a series to support your career planning and job search. For more
information, visit www.manitoba.ca/careerdevelopment.
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
Appendix A: Portfolio Template
Title Page
Career Portfolio
Name: __________________________________________________
Address: ________________________________________________
Phone Number(s): _____________________________ (work)
_____________________________ (home)
E-mail: __________________________
Fax:
I declare that all the information in this portfolio is accurate and true.
Date: ___________________________________
Signature: ________________________________
__________________________
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A Guide to BUILDING A CAREER PORTFOLIO
Table of Contents
Letter of Introduction
Resume
Career and Education/Training Plan
Inventory of Knowledge and Skills
Documentation Index
Documentation
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Appendix B: Guide Links
External Weblinks
• Carbon Made www.carbonmade.com/signup
• Career Cruising www.careercruising.com/Public/tours/portfolio/portfolio_tour_p1.html
• Darel McDonald’s Online Portfolio http://dmcdonald.carbonmade.com/
• For more information about career planning, tips for success in the workplace and other related topics,
please visit www.manitoba.ca/careerdevelopment
• Manitoba Careers www.manitobacareers.net/featured-services/premier-resume-portfolio.htm
• Portfolio Examples
http://www.usq.edu.au/users/evansp/browse/Mahara/documents/exemplars.htm#id3
• Shaw Webspace http://shawwebspace.ca/
Links In This Guide
• Appendix A
• Content Checklist
• How do I Prepare a Portfolio?
Links to Other Guides
• A Guide to Completing Applications
• A Guide to Planning Your Career
• A Guide to Writing Resumes
• A Guide to Writing Cover Letters
• A Guide to Outstanding Interviews
• A Guide to Conducting an Effective Job Search
• A Guide to Success in the Workplace
• A Guide to Recognizing Your Prior Learning
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